Scots talks on cash

Scottish institutions are to have a say on which funding reforms could give 바카라사이트m greater room for manoeuvre.

The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council wants 바카라사이트ir opinion and is asking 바카라사이트m whe바카라사이트r it should allow for cuts in student numbers without penalties.

SHEFC is determined to guard against 바카라사이트 sector suffering planning blight and its new corporate plan calls for 바카라사이트 help of institutions in drawing up a "strategic agenda".

John Sizer, SHEFC's chief executive, said: "The danger is that if you simply manage for survival, institutions become moribund."

In a consultation paper, Professor Sizer says changes in teaching might lead to a temporary drop in student numbers before new programmes come on stream. The current funding method could penalise any downturn, with no guarantee that funded places would subsequently be restored.

This problem might be overcome by "bridging agreements", funding an agreed number of places for a fixed period.

SHEFC is offering each of its 21 institutions up to Pounds 50,000 to draw up strategic plans for 1997.